John Englishby / Presenter

John Englishby first appeared on Dundalk FM as a presenter in 2019, which by broadcasting standards is a late start, but with something that younger presenters rarely have: four decades of listening behind him and absolutely no intention of playing it safe. He presents three shows on the station, each with its own distinct character.

Drive Time on Mondays keeps the afternoon energy going as the working week gets under way, a mix of music and personality that eases listeners from the afternoon into the evening. Odds and Sods, airing on the first Saturday of the month at 11pm, is exactly what the name promises: a gloriously unpredictable mix of genres with a strong leaning toward rock, the kind of show where you genuinely cannot predict what comes next. Themed Tunes on the fourth Saturday features a theme and a guest who picks music connected to it.

His musical taste runs wide but circles back consistently to new Irish music and to a deep and abiding love of Thin Lizzy. That combination tells you something important about John as a broadcaster: he cares about where music is going, and he has never forgotten the artists who showed everyone else how to do it first.

John has been a generous contributor to the station’s training culture, regularly appearing at new volunteer evenings to demonstrate the sound desk and encourage people taking their first steps into broadcasting. Outside the studio, he tries his hand at golf with the same enthusiasm he brings to everything, results notwithstanding.

Life is short, he says. Make music, play music, or just listen to music. In John Englishby’s case, he has been managing all three simultaneously for as long as he can remember.